<font color='black' size='4' face='Times New Roman, Times, serif'>Forwarded:<br>
<br>
<br>
<div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org><br>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Jan 9, 2016 9:29 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 1C<br>
<br>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_1.2_18fa68f1-bc82-4974-9834-1a67d2c7a248">
<div class="aolReplacedBody">
<div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dear
Friends,</font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">This
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “The Ground Is Always Level at the Foot of the
Cross” or “Sic ‘em, Spike!” and deals with the gospel (Acts 10:34-38).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Here it is:</font></font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Happy
Epiphany!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">As you recall, in the first
half of the church year we walk with Jesus through his earthly life.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">So far we’ve celebrated Advent (his time in
the womb with Mary and Joseph waiting and wondering); ChristMass (his birth);
and now we start the longer season of Epiphany, when we think through his
mission and ministry, including what it means to us.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Since today is the first Sunday of this new
season of Epiphany, we hear how Jesus’ mission started with his baptism by John
in the Jordan River.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">We also hear God’s
voice saying “You are my own dear son; and I am pleased with you.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">On one other occasion we heard God speak out
loud to Jesus.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Do you remember when it
was?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Sure, at the transfiguration God
said, “This is my own dear Son.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">This
time God added, “Listen to him!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Listening and obeying are so hard for us.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Did you hear the story of the woman who
needed her washing machine fixed?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">She
called a repairman and made arrangements for him to come the next day.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Since she had to go to work that day, she
told him, “I'll leave the key under the mat. Fix the washing machine, leave the
bill on the counter, and I'll mail you the check.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">By the way, don't worry about my Doberman. He
won't bother you. But, whatever you do, do NOT under ANY circumstances talk to
my parrot!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When the repairman arrived
at the lady’s apartment the next day, he discovered the biggest and meanest
looking Doberman he had ever seen. But just as she had said, the dog just lay
there on the carpet, watching the repairman go about his business. However, the
parrot drove him nuts the whole time with his incessant yelling, cursing, and
name-calling.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Finally the repairman
couldn't contain himself any longer and yelled, “Shut up, you stupid ugly bird!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">To which the parrot replied, “Sic ‘em,
Spike!” </font></font></span></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">We’re
not the only ones who have trouble listening and then obeying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">Peter did too.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">In our epistle today, we heard the last part
of the episode when Peter was finally explaining how the ground is always level
at the foot of the cross.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It took him a
long time to hear God’s voice and obey this Gospel imperative.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Remember, Peter was raised as every little
Jewish boy was in those days.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When he
said his prayers at his mother’s knee, he prayed: “Dear God, I thank you that I
was not born a Gentile, a dog, or a woman.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">As you recall, the early church had a terrible time accepting Gentiles
into their fellowship as equal members- basically because of this prejudiced
attitude, and the two worst offenders (at least the ones we hear most about in
the Bible) were Peter and the Lord’s brother- James.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The episode starts with Peter asleep on the
roof.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">In his dream (or nightmare), he
was really hungry.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Suddenly a large
sheet descended from the heavens filled with all kinds of animals that Jews had
been taught were unclean and not fit to eat.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">A voice from heaven ordered, “Arise Peter.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Kill and eat.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Peter answered, “Oh no, Lord.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">I’ve never eaten anything unclean in my
life.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Then, as you recall, the sheet
went back up to heaven.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The same
sequence occurred two more times, with God and Peter giving the same
statements, except the last time- God responds: “Peter, never declare anything
unclean that I have created clean!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">At
that instant, Peter awoke to the sound of someone at his door.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Gentiles were there asking Peter to accompany
them to the house of a well-known Gentile- a Roman soldier named
Cornelius.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Thank God Peter understood
the meaning of the dream, went, spent some time there, and baptized the
Cornelius and his family.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That’s the
story.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">What’s it to us?</font></font></span></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">What
it means to us is our values about other people must be very different from
those of our culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">We, like Peter,
have been taught to label people as “my kind” and “not my kind.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">And just like that repairman, and just like
Peter, we sometimes have trouble listening to God’s values and following
them.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Listen to me Church, if you are
serious, if I am serious, if we are serious about following Jesus, you/I/we
CANNOT participate in judging people by their color or sexuality or age or
economic status or educational level or job.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Accept people for who they are.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Dr. King’s birthday is coming up this week.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Remember how he said he dreamed of the day
when his children would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the
content of their character?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">No matter
what kind of pressure we’re under, we must live that dream if we intend to call
ourselves Christians.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">This means- speak
up when someone says something racist or sexist or any kind of “ist.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Don’t make excuses by saying something like,
“They’ll never change anyway, so why should I put my neck out!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Remember how Ezekiel reminded us that if the
watchman saw the enemy coming and said nothing, the blood of those killed in
the city he was guarding would be on his head.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">If, however, the watchman saw the enemy coming and warned the city, but
no one listened; their blood would be on their own heads.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Christians, sound the alarm.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Speak up.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">If no one listens, at least you have spoken up for Gospel values and
will not be held accountable for their sins.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">This teaching extends to jokes also.</font></font></span></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">In
the story, the repairman had trouble listening and obeying the owner of the
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">Sometimes we have the opposite
problem- we listen and obey the wrong voice.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">We listen and believe the negative voices of our culture.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">In our deepest selves, we believe that if we
are too fat or too old or too young or too dark or too light or too anything-
you name it- we really aren’t as good as other people.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That kind of poisonous prejudice spreads like
wildfire and destroys anyone who believes it (or even listens to it
seriously).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">My friends, beliefs like
this are sins!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">God created us in his
image!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">How dare we give other people the
privilege of negating our worth.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">We must
love ourselves AS WE ARE!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If there are
character flaws we need to work on- fine; keep improving and walking even
closer to the Lord.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When you look in the
mirror every morning, say “Thank you God for creating me in your image.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Then mean it.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">You know the old song, “Just as I Am”- that’s how we are loved, that’s
how we are redeemed, that’s how we are valued.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">In closing, let’s sing just the first verse, and let’s give thanks that
God created us as we are in his image.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">“Just as I am, without one plea; but that thy blood was shed for me; and
that Thou bidds’t me- come to Thee; O Lamb of God, I come; I come.” </font></font></span></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes; tab-stops: .25in;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated
African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under
“Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/"><u><font color="#0000ff" face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font></u></a><u><font color="#0000ff" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><a href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org" target="_blank">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</a></font></u><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
.</font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Blessed
preaching,</font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Judy
Boli</font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">St.
Paul's Episcopal Church</font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font>
<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Saginaw,
Michigan</font></div>
<font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div>
<div></div>
-- <br>
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Propertalk" group.<br>
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to <a target="_blank" href="mailto:propertalk.topic+unsubscribe@ecunet.org">propertalk.topic+unsubscribe@ecunet.org</a>.<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</font>